Whether Rectitude of the Will Is Necessary for Happiness?
Objection 1: It would seem that rectitude of the will is not
necessary for Happiness. For Happiness consists essentially in an
operation of the intellect, as stated above (Q. 3, A. 4). But
rectitude of the will, by reason of which men are said to be clean of
heart, is not necessary for the perfect operation of the intellect:
for Augustine says (Retract. i, 4) "I do not approve of what I said
in a prayer: O God, Who didst will none but the clean of heart to
know the truth. For it can be answered that many who are not clean of
heart, know many truths." Therefore rectitude of the will is not
necessary for Happiness.
Obj. 2: Further, what precedes does not depend on what follows. But
the operation of the intellect precedes the operation of the will.
Therefore Happiness, which is the perfect operation of the intellect,
does not depend on rectitude of the will.
Obj. 3: Further, that which is ordained to another as its end, is not
necessary, when the end is already gained; as a ship, for instance,
after arrival in port. But rectitude of will, which is by reason of
virtue, is ordained to Happiness as to its end. Therefore, Happiness
once obtained, rectitude of the will is no longer necessary.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Matt. 5:8): "Blessed are the clean
of heart; for they shall see God": and (Heb. 12:14): "Follow peace
with all men, and holiness; without which no man shall see God."
_I answer that,_ Rectitude of will is necessary for Happiness both
antecedently and concomitantly. Antecedently, because rectitude of
the will consists in being duly ordered to the last end. Now the end
in comparison to what is ordained to the end is as form compared to
matter. Wherefore, just as matter cannot receive a form, unless it be
duly disposed thereto, so nothing gains an end, except it be duly
ordained thereto. And therefore none can obtain Happiness, without
rectitude of the will. Concomitantly, because as stated above (Q. 3,
A. 8), final Happiness consists in the vision of the Divine Essence,
Which is the very essence of goodness. So that the will of him who
sees the Essence of God, of necessity, loves, whatever he loves, in
subordination to God; just as the will of him who sees not God's
Essence, of necessity, loves whatever he loves, under the common
notion of good which he knows. And this is precisely what makes the
will right. Wherefore it is evident that Happiness cannot be without
a right will.
[Reply Obj. 1: Augustine is speaking of knowledge of truth that is
not the essence of goodness itself.]
Reply Obj. 2: Every act of the will is preceded by an act of the
intellect: but a certain act of the will precedes a certain act of
the intellect. For the will tends to the final act of the intellect
which is happiness. And consequently right inclination of the will is
required antecedently for happiness, just as the arrow must take a
right course in order to strike the target.
Reply Obj. 3: Not everything that is ordained to the end, ceases with
the getting of the end: but only that which involves imperfection,
such as movement. Hence the instruments of movement are no longer
necessary when the end has been gained: but the due order to the end
is necessary.
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